My 2nd Grader has a habit of sticking Postit on her study desk when she attends online classes. She notes down whatever she feels is important or might help with her school assignments later that day.

The other day something caught my eye .It was different from other notes, more detailed than others ,so I stopped to read it .It was a “Thank You “ note to her teacher .Since she did not share it with anyone so apparently it was a note to self, something important she wanted to remember.A simple note expressing gratitude towards her teacher.


Asking about it , I just got a shy smile from my little one ,so whatever it was had been sorted out.

I shared the note with her teacher and she replied that it simply brightened her day manifold.With online classes ,they don’t know if they are able to emotionally reach out to kids .With this being her first year of teaching, it had been additionally hard for her. And this note has put a big smile on her face.

I have seen this time and again ,being both at the receiving and giving ends.A little gesture of kindness and appreciation sometimes goes a very long way ,much more than we could ever possibly envisage .

Recently I dropped  a mail to someone who was new to the organization ,appreciating the great work his subordinate team members had been doing over the years  , individually naming them and what all great contribution and difference each one had made.I didn’t think much about it after that ,till later that day when I happen to attend a Committee meeting . One of the person mentioned in the mail was also in this Committee. While we were waiting for others to join , in a choked voice and eyes brimming with tears she said “ How could you have known ! You have no way to know this but today was an exceptionally hard day for me .Your mail was a life saver .I want you to know ,it gave me strength to get through this day “.

We don’t know what struggles some one might be going through ,what demons they are fighting. But a small gesture of kindness and genuine appreciation ,that seems inconsequential to us , for all we know could help someone get through their day.

So next time whenever you think that your little appreciation won’t make any difference , DON’T .For all you know it might be the only light of someone’s day.